Dear Hermione
by Alais Kingsleigh
Summary: What would you do if you fall in love with someone and felt that the person is out of your reach? Hermione's boss was attracted to her at first sight, but he couldn't pursue her because she might think she got the job because of his attraction to her. Instead, he wrote her anonymous letters. Will Hermione return his love? One-shot


Summary: What would you do if you fall in love with someone and felt that the person is out of your reach? Hermione's boss was attracted to her at first sight, but he couldn't pursue her because she might think she got the job because of his attraction to her. Instead, he wrote her anonymous letters. Will Hermione return his love?

* * *

 **Dear Hermione**

* * *

The scars of war still haven't left Hermione. Thus, when she finally found her parents and restored their memories, it had been easy to allow herself to be swayed into staying in the United States with them. She finished her magical education at Ilvermony School of Wizardry and Witchcraft.

Despite Hogwarts' claims of being the best in providing magical education, it does not take non-magical education into account and in the arrogance reflective of the community it serves did not even offer these, providing only a minimal and perfunctory Muggle Studies. Ilvermony, on the other hand offers both magical and non-magical courses side by side. It took a while but Hermione was able to catch on with her peers' non-magical courses and even rose beyond them in her industry and the environment of encouragement in Ilvermony.

She found herself thriving in the American Wizardry World given how many of its earliest members went to this New World to escape the blood purity persecutions in the old one. Blood status did not matter here, opportunities are gained through merits.

* * *

Her hardwork and dedication to her studies pushed her through, even allowing for her to gain admittance to Harvard for her university level studies and later on to its prestigious Law School.

She is now one of the few wizards and witches in America who holds a law degree and have passed the BAR examinations. Another such magical lawyer is the founder of Lee, Chase and Spellman. It is a law firm that specializes in dealing with both magical and non-magical cases, primarily the only law firm in the country that the magical community fully trusts given the fact that their employees are wizards and witches.

Mr. Alexander Lee, their firm's founder and senior partner is a 43 year old who works harder than most people Hermione knew, herself including. No wonder the guy is single, despite being a nice guy. The man is said to have a ready smile for everyone, or so they said, but Hermione have yet to see it. She'd never seen the man crack even a grin directed towards her or whenever she is in his vicinity, not even when she was doing her clerkship in this very same firm.

Hermione scowled at the thought, if her boss' single status is any indication, it seems hard work is rewarded by loneliness. She is already 29 years old and have not really had any serious relationships. Her friendship and relationship with the people in England have lessened to a long distance owl correspondence that warrants only owls on special occasions. Her friends and colleagues are mostly happily married or in long term relationships and thus, are busy with their own lives. Her parents are enjoying their retirement by travelling.

She is starting to see that she needs more social interaction. Out of desperation or perhaps a momentary lapse of insanity, she signed up for a pen pal from the local owl post magazine community. She defended her actions to herself by saying that at least she did not sign up for some blind dates or matchmaker or something.

Since Hermione did not have her own owl yet, she used the office's owl post system to mail it, leaving it with the other posts from her office.

* * *

Alexander Lee is always the last one to leave the office, given the fact that he is more productive at night when everything is silent and there were no people bothering him to sign something or another. Not many people knew that he also pitches in whenever there is an absent employee who has an important key job in the firm. Today it's the guy who is supposed to organize the mails to be sent through owl post.

He'd done this on some occasions now, as the old man who does this job is absent from work every now and then. He didn't interfere with what his employees sent out, even if they were private mail as he allowed private correspondence through their office's post system. But a letter with a familiar handwriting caught his eye. It was addressed to a popular magazine in the wizardry world.

He was berating himself as he did it, but couldn't stop his actions. He cast a heating charm to undo the glue on the envelope. After he unsealed it, he carefully unfolded the letter. His eyes growing at its contents as he wondered why she would sign up for a pen pal. She only asked to be called "Mimi" and bid the magazine to not give her real name up. He took a deep breath, stuffed the letter in his pocket, left the rest of the work for the custodian who is being paid to do this job anyway and quickly went out of the office to go home.

* * *

Hermione's pen pal's codename is Lex. He is a 30 year old who works a 9-5 job but is often found at the office even on later hours. Hermione told him about herself, her job (without revealing sensitive information of course), her personality and even her vulnerability. She told him of her growing distance from her friends, her slow but steady rebuilt of her relationship with her parents and the incessant loneliness.

Meanwhile, he told her of his life as a migrant from Taiwan. He told her of his struggles as a child to learn the language in America and assimilation of its culture and customs. He narrated how he had been scorned for his love of learning and bookishness only to have this same people approach him when they need help with schoolwork. He also talked about how his relationship with people are shallow at best and how difficult it was for him to find friends.

Hermione would tell him how she felt cheated out of life due to her inexperience as she tried her best to do what is expected of her, to achieve what is expected of her while Lex told her of his desire to just have a family to come home to. Hermione agreed with this feeling and opined that she felt that people like them, barely get the chance to meet new people much less interact or even have a relationship with them. Lex is more optimistic in his view that it would be easy with the right person.

Hermione could only agree with what Lex wrote. It was so easy to find time to write Lex. They even wrote about mundane things like what are each other's favorites. Hermione likes her tea warm and aromatic whereas Lex wouldn't mind if his tea is either warm, cold or even tepid, as long as it has milk in it and it's not coffee. He just doesn't like coffee that much.

They exchanged books, Hermione even knitted him a scarf and baked him cookies. Lex even gave her a gold heart shaped pendant with a small diamond encrusted on it which Hermione had taken to wearing every day.

In fact, the first time Hermione ever saw her boss' smile was when she first wore this pendant, thus, she considers it her own good luck charm.

* * *

Alexander noticed the positive changes in Hermione and felt pride that he was the cause of these. She seemed more happy and relaxed. She's starting to wear prettier clothes, of course he found her pretty before but she is now absolutely beautiful. Even if it had been her sharp mind and her determination that caught his fancy, he really fell in love with her when he really got to know her through their correspondence. Every day passed and he fell deeper. He knew he was in trouble.

When Hermione started mentioning that she wanted to meet up, he knew that it was coming to an end. He knew he couldn't go on that date. For one, he lied about his age. He sighed as he realized what he had to do.

* * *

Hermione scowled, the man sitting in front of her is the most insipid shallow person she'd ever met. He was completely self-absorbed. Her eyes narrowed calculatingly. "So what will you have? Coffee or tea?" Hermione asked. "Of course, it's coffee, I mean who'd eat apple pie with tea?" The man asked. Hermione scowled, she stood up and placed some galleons on the table to cover what she ate.

The man looked up in surprise. "Let's not pretend anymore. You are not Lex." Hermione said furiously, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly went out of the restaurant and ran to her place of comfort before the guy could even react.

* * *

Alexander called himself all sorts of names, from cad to coward. All he wants is to sit in a corner and cry. After all, he just sent his most handsome and debonair friend on a date with his soul mate. He is killing himself by imagining his said friend kissing Hermione and he feels as if his heart is breaking at the thought.

Logically, he knew that a 14-year age gap between them wouldn't matter in the long run seeing as he is a wizard and she is a witch, but she is still young and have her whole life ahead of her and the most she sees him is her grumpy old boss.

He was about to quit for the day and go home when he heard a sniffle in one of the small offices, he followed the sound and realized that it came from Hermione's office. He knocked and a small familiar voice allowed him to come in. He found Hermione red eyed and crying.

* * *

"I'm sorry Mr. Lee. I just… It was the nearest place and I'm finishing something up anyway…" Hermione excused herself as she really was doing work. It was a habit she formed from years ago, she made herself busy so she wouldn't feel the pain.

Alexander Lee clenched his hands into fists. He pretended he only noted her dress and didn't know where she came from. "I guess you went on a date didn't you?" He asked. He imagined the worst case scenario, what if his so-called friend took advantage of Hermione? He felt bile rising up his throat as fear and anger swirled inside his mind.

"Did your date act inappropriately?" He asked through almost clenched teeth, his jaw tightening with the strength of his feelings.

Hermione gave a dry laugh. "My date didn't show up. Just when I thought I found the person who understood me, whom I can connect with and failing at that be friends with for a very long time, he decided I wasn't worth it and sent an insulting replacement." Hermione sniffled.

Alexander sighed, moved closer and awkwardly patted Hermione's back to try and comfort her. His guilt made him unable to speak. Hermione grabbed him and cried. "You know what else is pathetic about this, Mr. Lee?" Hermione asked through tears. "I was already in love with him. It's silly because I've never met him in person and yet I do." She sobbed.

"Maybe he's also full of insecurities. He probably thinks he's too old for you or too scared of rejection. He answered truthfully. Hermione looked at him and shook her head. "He's probably in there, saw me and thought I was ugly." She said mournfully.

Alexander lifted her chin up to make her stare at him. Hermione blushed at their proximity. He sighed and took a chair and sat beside Hermione, taking a blank parchment and removing the cap of his fountain pen. Soon a familiar handwriting unfolded before Hermione's very eyes and Alexander's eyes barely left her face as he wrote.

* * *

 _"_ _Dearest Mimi,_

 _You are wrong. For me, you are the most beautiful girl in the world, both inside and out. I apologize for being a coward. I was in the office berating myself for my cowardice. I was afraid you'd reject me because I'm older and I lied about my age. I only did that because I thought you might be put off by our age difference. But everything else, including my feelings for you, are all true._

 _I'm in love with you and if you can forgive me, let me take you out for a late dinner. If you'll let me, I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you._

 _With all my love,_

 _Alexander "Lex" Lee_


End file.
